While shopping at Chicago's Magnificent Mile mall patrons can look to the ceiling and see a 190-foot long canopy of trees. Or, if they look at another moment, they may see a kaleidoscope of colours or a flock of local birds. That's because the skylight is actually a high definition LED canvas with content created at 16k resolution.And while the centrepiece of the installation is the magnificent ceiling, visible from all seven floors of the atrium, the entire mall experience has been informed with digital signage.

I spoke with ESI Design's Director of Media Architecture, Greg Gallimore, via Skype about how they updated this 30-year-old high-end shopping destination by creating a unique atmosphere with thinking that was detailed enough to include The Cedar Waxwing, a bird local to the Chicago area.